


Bargain

by woodelf



Series: The Floofy!verse [1]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Gen, Originally Posted on Tumblr
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-18
Updated: 2020-07-18
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:21:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25353151
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/woodelf/pseuds/woodelf
Summary: Henry wants a special present for Emma. Gold has just the thing for his youngest and cutest customer.
Relationships: Henry Mills & Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold
Series: The Floofy!verse [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1836043
Kudos: 39





	Bargain

Mr. Gold looked up as the bell over his shop door jangled and he regarded his newest customer in surprise. 

“Henry. Is there anything I can do for you?" 

"I’m looking for something for my mom’s birthday.” The boy looked around speculatively, never having actually been inside before. Regina had always warned him away from Mr. Gold and told him never to go inside the pawn shop. But Henry had often peered through the shop windows at the intriguing variety of objects to be glimpsed within, and Gold had never been anything other than polite and pleasant to _him_. "I thought there might be something interesting in here.“ 

"I thought the Mayor’s birthday was in the summer.” Gold’s voice was carefully neutral.

“Oh. I meant my birth mom, Emma.” Henry looked up at the big model ship, wanting to reach out and run a finger along its varnished hull. “It was her birthday the day I found her, actually.”

“Ah. Do you have any idea what Ms Swan might like?”

Henry turned towards him, his face lighting with inspiration. “Do you have anything with swans on it?”

“An excellent idea.” Gold smiled. “And as a matter of fact, I believe I do.” He led the way to a glass cabinet filled with jewelry and other small items. Unlocking it, he withdrew a swan cameo and handed it to Henry. “Would this do?”

“It’s perfect!” Henry exclaimed with delight, fingering the raised white swan against its blue background. “But – how much is it?” he asked cautiously. 

Gold wondered how much allowance Regina gave her son. “How much do you think it’s worth?”

Henry chewed his lip thoughtfully, glancing inside the cabinet and spotting tiny price tags attached with string to some of the other objects. “Probably more than I’ve got,” he admitted. “I was hoping to find something no more than twenty dollars.”

“I’ll tell you what. If it was Regina in here, I’d charge her twice that. But for you, Henry, I’ll sell it for that twenty. Since Ms Swan _does_ seem to be the perfect person to have this.”

A huge grin broke out on Henry’s face and he impulsively stuck his hand out. “Deal!”

Gold shook it firmly, smiling back at this boy who reminded him so much of his own. “Would you like it gift-boxed?”

“Yes, please.” Henry followed Gold back to the cash register and rested his folded arms on the glass surface of the display case while Gold wrapped the cameo in tissue paper and placed it in a jewelry box. Henry fished a twenty dollar bill out of his pocket and handed it over in exchange for the box. He regarded Mr. Gold thoughtfully while Gold rang up the sale and presented him with a receipt.

What fairy tale character _was_ he? He really didn’t seem to be that bad of a person unless you owed him something, like the monthly rent. 

“There you go.” Gold handed him the receipt. “Quite a bargain you’ve got there. Wish your mother a happy birthday from me.”

“Thanks, Mr. Gold, I will. See you around!" 

Something niggled at the back of Henry’s mind but slipped away when he tried to reach for it. Gold? King Midas? It didn’t feel right. And Gold didn’t look like an Aladdin, although there were plenty of treasures of a sort in his shop. Bargain? Was there someone famous for making bargains? Henry shook his head as he left the shop. He’d figure it out one day. 


End file.
